Folks in real estate know buying and selling is all about location, location, location. And this is exactly what the devil is looking for in our lives. He’s prowling around, biding his time, and patiently waiting for an opportunity to occupy space in our lives.
Ephesians 4:27; “and do not give the devil a foothold.”
The original word translated here as foothold also means; place, ground, or opportunity and is frequently used to describe an actual place in the New Testament where people arrive or something is happening. Another way to think of this idea would be to use the term “real estate.”
In the Genesis account I referenced earlier, (where Adam and Eve sinned against God), the devil had taken up space in the garden. He then used this space to whisper lies in their ears about who God was and what He said to them.
The strategy of the devil hasn’t changed in thousands of years. He’s looking for a similar opportunity in your life. He’s after location, location, location upon which he will build a case against the truth of the Creator.
And this is one of the main problems of sin; Our sin alienates us from God and gives the devil opportunity in our lives.
When we worship idols.
When we harbor unforgiveness.
When we lie, cheat, and steal our way to success.
When we willingly give ourselves to sin it’s as if we open the door to our lives and shout, “Hey devil! Come on in!”
And this invitation is obviously going to end poorly… It’s not one that you want to willingly extend. Instead, the apostle Paul reminds us later in Ephesians 6 about standing our ground and wearing the armor of God:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Ephesians 6:10-12
So my question for you today is a simple one: Where can you eradicate sin in your life?
What can you confess?
What can you repent of?
What can you turn away from?
What can you pull the plug on?
Whose number do you need to delete?
What relationship do you need to say goodbye to?
What idols do you need to pull down?
Which credit card needs to be cut up and thrown away?
What electronic devices do you need to smash?
What’s holding you back from taking a stand against sin in your life?
